Game 7

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6th Round Pick

Well guys, how much better can it get? This series has had everything, and is consensus the best series since 1994 - that's not coming from me, that's coming from the media based in Toronto of all places!

I can honestly say this series has cemented a permanent hate for all things Bruin - I hate their fans (peeing on the Roger Neilson statue at Rogers Arena, refusing to serve Canucks players in Boston, refusing hotel rooms to Canuck fans in Boston), I hate their media (whining about the Horton hit, but nothing at all about Boychuk breaking Raymond's back on an absolutely brutal player nowhere near the puck - that's right, breaking his friggin back!) and I hate their players (not much needs to be said here).

When all is said and done tomorrow night, I will look back on these memories fondly, win or lose. This is what the game is all about - one game, winner take all - let's see what happens.

And yes, I will be at the game - already have my tickets in hand. I couldn't miss this one for just about anything.

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2nd Team All-Star

we need a hero, none has showed up yet. our goalie pulling the jekyll and Hyde thing, leaves everything up in the air.

i honestly have not liked this series much. the hockey's been extremely ugly, harking back to the days of chippy, goon style hockey, but without the fights or big hits being allowed. so it's a mixed bag for me, even though our team is 1 win away.

i would not be too terribly surprised if there isn't a single penalty called against the Bruins tomorrow. (unless the score game's essentially over). saw that Tampa game. let's hope the boys pull through it all tomorrow, and that the fans give them a monster boost to play with smarts, grit and heart. each and everyone of them.

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NHL

I have watched this video several times trying to understand the differences between this incident and the Rome/Horton one. The criteria for the Rome suspension according to the League was that he was late on his check and a serious injury occurred on the play. In this instance, Raymond never got a chance to play the puck. Boychuk got his stick between Raymond's legs and spun him around which prevented him from doing so. Technically, that should be considered interference. If it had ended there and Raymond had been released, I wouldn't have much concern at all over the play and I can understand why no penalty was called. What Boychuk did though was maintain contact by bending Raymond over and driving him in to the boards. In the background, Kesler has already completed a pass across ice in front of the net before Raymond makes contact with the boards so by any standard the completion of the check was late. That extended the interference on the play. If you listen to the NBC commentary, Boychuk was exonerated for finishing his check and doing what he was supposed to do. The end result is that Raymond has a compression fracture of his vertebrae and will be out for three to four months minimum. Whether he will ever return to form or not remains to be seen. Boychuk didn't do anything wrong in the eyes of NBC and no parallels were drawn between this incident and the earlier one. Were they really that different?

I am not calling for a Boychuk suspension. I just have a hard time with the dual standard that has been applied in the two incidents. Interference resulting in a serious injury, no consequence. A late hit resulting in a serious injury, a player given a five minute penalty, a game misconduct and a suspension for the balance of the playoffs.

The Bruins have so many things going for them to the point where they've gone from the Series underdogs to prohibitive favorites to win the Cup in Game 7. So much has been made about this being a great hard nosed series. Unfortunately it has become a war of attrition. Far too many players on both sides of the ice have been injured or are playing their way through injuries which won't be revealed until after tomorrow night. I am all in favor of hard hitting hockey but I am diametrically opposed to goon hockey. Whether it's a League mandate or some other agenda at play, there is no resemblance between seasonal hockey and what's been allowed to take place throughout the playoffs. The claim by the officials that they don't want to determine the outcome of the games has turned into exactly that. Not calling what should be called for both teams has just as much an effect as calling what should. It wouldn't take long for both teams to get the message as to what will or won't be tolerated. If that means a short term parade to the penalty box, so be it. Instead we have confusion and walking wounded trying to close this out.

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2nd Team All-Star

according to Bruins fans or van haters - Raymond "shouldn't have put his head there!" Boychuks stick inbetween his legs , holding him down and spinning him around has nothing to do with it! then he rams an extremely vulnerable player hard into the boards. broken back. (this goes goes well with the broken neck on pachioretty).

or how about Marchand punching D. Sedin 6 times cuz he said "he felt like it". Daniel taking the hits to get a call, doesnt fall down or anything, and get's vilified?? (i wish Sedin popped him one good, or later said something like", his small man jabs didn't hurt one bit!") Anyhow Marchand is praised for "doing his job". since when is punching people after the whistle doing your job?? how does this inspire kids or mom's to allow their kids to enroll in hockey? Marchand is a rat, he knows it, and he's loved by the media. switch the jerseys around with the same behaviour, and it's "evil, hated Canucks". the double standard is sickening.

I fear if game 7 starts to look stupid, watch for even uglier incidents, probably started by van players. let's hope that doesnt happen.

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NHL

The NHL will not conduct a hearing on Johnny Boychuk's check on Mason Raymond causing Mason to suffer a vertebrae compression fracture...an injury which will keep the young star out 4-6 months and everyone medical person involved with the hit last night is telling me Mason Raymond is "lucky it isn't worse." There was no penalty on the play. The Canucks appealed to the NHL but have been denied a hearing. How can this be?

If the NHL is to use the term "vulnerable position" when referring to the Rome suspension, and "due to a resulting inury" when referencing Horton, they need to use it here. Mason was in a vulnerable position. and is even more hurt than Horton....while I don't think Boychuk intended to "take this kid out for the next 6 months," I do feel the hit was malicious and the result was obvious.

Boychuk was playing out-of-control hockey...and has been at various stretches in this series...

Remembering back to game three, and the shifts immediately following the Horton injury, Johnny Boychuk was playing very reckless hockey. Obviously angered by the Horton hit, Boychuk took at least three runs at Canucks players, and had any of those attempts connected, the result could have been very dangerous.

I am not saying Boychuk should be suspended for this hit, I could see a case for either side there, but I am saying the NHL should give the Canucks and Raymond the courtesy to examine the hit.

It's the very least they should do."

It must be the Armageddon. I have actually found something on Eklund's site with which I agree. Start stocking the fallout shelters. Think long term. At least I won't have to worry about paying off my Visa. I should probably run out and charge something big.

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2nd Team All-Star

I sent a tweet to Bochford earlier suggesting the US media have given the Bruins a distinct advantage and the Vancouver media have not been doing their jobs...

While the Eastern guys have been able to turn the Canucks into villains in the eyes of the fans and league offices, the Vancouver media have ignored the butchery that has gone on since the first shift in the first game...

Had they jumped on this bandwagon as hard as the other guys jumped on the diving bandwagon, maybe the officials would have been forced to do their job and enforce the rules and give a call to the Canucks, regardless of what the name on the back of the jersey is...

Even our training staff are getting out done by the Bruins trainers...They kept Horton on the ice and carried him out on a stretcher just a couple of days before he was seen hooting and hollering at the game last night....They made it look like life and death which Murphy bought into it hook, line and sinker...
Meanwhile, our guys let a player with a vertebra compression skate off the ice, only difference is he won't be able to hoot and holler for 3 to 4 months...

I give the Bruins credit, it is their job to find out where the officials line in the sand is and so far they haven't reached that line..

The league refusing to look into the hit pretty much tells it all....

To expect them to crack down tonight is a laughable suggestion and just a tad late if they do...

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6th Round Pick

Nobody is surprised at this, are they? The Bruins always get away with murder - it's just the way it goes and I've accepted it.

Jeff can say it's back and forth but it's not even close to back and forth - the Bruins are playing like a bunch of goons because they are being allowed to get away with it. No suspension for Boychuk? It was a god awful play by him and IMHO he should be out for at least 5 playoff games, or 15 regular season games. He knew exactly what he was doing there - but he's a Bruin so nothing happens.

Again, can't do anything about the massive double-standard for the Bruins - all the Nucks can do is suck it up and win game 7. Let's see what happens.

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2nd Team All-Star

they spend more time criticizing their own team than anything. it's like they want the nucks to lose to prove they are right. you see it even with guys like Botchford (who picked the bruins), or even likeable guys like don taylor. it's real real sad. add to that, the trolling fans from alberta or those from the east coast, and the fans eat it all up.

i've never seen duo art ross winners treated with so much disrespect in thier own city before. i've never seen a star goalie get more flack than luongo has in this town. the local media plays a HUGE part in this.

let's hope the players can show all those doubters they are wrong. this is that one chance to shut them all up. history favors us winning, as do the statistics. win the cup and all the crap that's been written will be forgotten.

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NHL

I just listened to the Team 1040 interview with Gillis and Vigneault and my anger has been bumped up another notch. Following the Horton injury, the NHL got the medical records prior to making its ruling. In Mason Raymond's case, they didn't even ask for them. Their decision to not pursue any supplemental discipline was based strictly on a "hockey" decision. All of the statements made earlier about the seriousness of an injury playing a role in any supplementary discipline was bull shit. I've already covered my interpretation of what constitutes interference. The League has excused this particular bout of interference with the interpretation that the hit "wasn't malicious". So now we have another level of discretion being applied. Since when does this matter? You either interfere with someone or you don't. If you do, whether you meant it maliciously or not shouldn't matter. It makes you wonder whether the rulings would have been the same if the locales had been reversed? If Rome had hit Horton in Vancouver, I would like to think the same consequences would have been applied whether the crowd was upset or not. As I said in a previous thread, I had no problem with Rome's penalties or suspension as long as that was the new standard for trying to reduce injuries in the NHL. If the Raymond injury had occurred in Vancouver you would assume the crowd would be incensed but I have my doubts they would have done things differently either. Now they have zero credibility in terms of their grand posturing as far as I am concerned. The standards ebb and flow and the most damning thing of all is that the tides appear to be favoring one team over the other. It's time for a name change from the NHL to the ZCHL. If you've got zero credibility, might as well include it in your name so there's no false assumptions being made.

The scariest part of the Gillis/Interview was that Raymond's injury was so severe, there was real concern that he would be permanently paralyzed. The game takes on so much less importance when compared to Mason's well being. His condition has been upgraded from that dire prognosis but he is still in a Boston hospital and he is being fitted with a special brace or corset to enable to fly back to Vancouver for further treatment. He faces a very painful and difficult rehabilitation and Gillis said they would be delighted if he could re-join the team next November.

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2nd Team All-Star

the NHL office has lost all credibility as you said. i won't elaborate further on your well documented analysis.

To hear that news about Raymond, it puts a stake in my heart, and my gut. he's such a young talented player who plays with honesty and effort. i pray hard that he recovers fully enuff to re-join this team in full health sometime in the future, whenever that may be. i mean, this year, this team has had it's knocks - first Hamhuis muttering retirement from his concussions, then Maholtra almost losing his eye, and now this. the game tomorrow almost loses perspective, but the best way for this team to overcome all this, is to win Wednesday night. how, i don't care, just win. that would at least bring something positive to Raymond's situation.

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ECHL

One thing nobody has mentioned yet is the Bruins crowd. When Raymond was laying on the ice, fans were booing and chanting "Flopper, Flopper". While being helped off the ice, obviously injured, instead of the customary applause they fire up the organ and chant "Let's go Bruins". Yet somehow it's the Canucks and their fans that are called "classless and disgusting". I don't get it.

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1st Round Pick

The Bruins disgust me from top to bottom. Their fans chanting flopper to a player who, at that time, doctors weren't sure was even going to walk again. Vile and disgusting. Unforgivable under any circumstances, particularly these. If a player goes down hurt fans all around the league show class, and cheer when he's taken off the ice.

Brad Marchand on Sedin -- indefensible. When he gets his bell rung he won't be getting a get well card from me. Sedin has earned respect in this league, Marchand has earned nothing. Karma is a bi*ch, bi*ch.

Lastly the Bruins organization. I'm very happy that Horton is feeling better. Thrilled for his health. But reading this morning that he feels well enough to play Game 7, after the Bruins made sure to publicly release his medical records prior to Rome's hearing with the league, only to have him feeling good enough to play a week later is disgusting.

I will be ecstatic if the Canucks win, but it will feel that much better that it's the Bruins who lose. I look forward to drinking their delicious tears of bitterness and disappointment.

Go Canucks!

p.s. that doesn't include Jeff, I'll feel sorry for Jeff.This post was edited on 6/15 6:59 AM by Connecticut

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MVP

Vancouver certainly rightfully or wrongfully has been accussed of being whiners.....

Boston has been accused of being goons again rightfully or wrongfully.

At the end of the day I would rather be a goon then a whiner and a lot of hockey fans across Canada would feel the same way. The media war has been very much dominated by Boston. Luongo saying things was the last straw.....

You know it is funny I still do not know who I will cheer for in game 7. I cheered for Vancouver in Game 5 and Boston in Game 6 and what I have seen out of Vancouver in this series does nothing to help me like them as a team, where as Boston on the other hand plays the game and is the type of team that I have coached or at least strived to coach my entire life. So go figure! I love Boston's game plan and the lunch bucket approach. I have hated Boston my entire life and I have routinely over the years cheered for Vancouver.

I hate to say it but I hope Boston win's but by that same token I do not want Vancouver to loose for the fans sake!

Good luck to both teams Im sure by the 3rd period I know who I will be cheering for cause right now I sure as heck do not........LOL

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NHL

I can understand your preference for the Boston style of play. It is distinctly more "Canadian" with it's lunch bucket approach. No question, the current edition of the Canucks are much more European. Having said that, I don't see that as a bad thing, just different.

What does concern me is that there doesn't seem to be any sense of direction coming from the top in the NHL. They talk the good talk about removing the obstructive elements from the game to allow the stars to shine but when the playoffs come, they seem quite willing to put that on the back burner. Watching the Canucks all year, it was really exciting watching the twins completely mesmerize the opposition with their puck handling skills. The team was built for speed as opposed to brute strength and that paid dividends with them winning the President's Trophy by a comparatively wide margin. Supposedly, that was what the NHL had in mind with the new rules that were put in place. It wasn't old time hockey but this year's Canucks could well have served as a model for how to build a team in the new NHL. Tampa, under Yzerman, followed a similar path and it got them deep into the playoffs.

For some reason, there is still a mind set in the NHL's upper echelons that when you get to the playoffs, that style of play is no longer essential. What would constitute a penalty in the season gets ignored or called inconsistently in the playoffs under the guise of allowing the outcomes to be determined by the teams rather than the officials. Sounds good in theory but it doesn't work. Teams built for size and strength are given a distinct advantage where that may have worked to their disadvantage during the season.

Collectively, I don't think the media has bought in to the new NHL concept. When players like the twins are portrayed as whiners when they complain about being held or punched, it indicates a style preference (I could say bias but that word gets tossed around all the time when there is a difference of opinion). Guys like Burrows and LaPierre have earned that reputation so they have no right to complain but the twins don't deserve that label. I doubt if there are too many Canuck fans who disagree with you in terms of Luongo failing to keep his mouth shut and the resulting media frenzy he created.

I don't think the Bruins are a team of goons any more than I think the Canucks are a bunch of whiners. Both have been built on models that are different by degree rather than in totality. The Bruins were only 14 points behind the Canucks in league play so they obviously had a lot of skill to go along with their size and style of play. They were well equipped to give the Canucks all they could handle. What they didn't need or deserve was an edge through the change of standards applied in the playoffs. That's what the Canucks and all their fans are upset about. If that makes us whiners, so be it.

One thing you would probably appreciate is the credit in the Vancouver media being given to the roles Burke and Nonis played in getting the Canucks to where they are today. You have good hockey people in charge of re-building the Leafs. I disagreed with Burkey's trading of those first rounders but given time, you will eventually get a winner back in the Big Smoke. Now if only the NHL would decide what kind of team that should be, ...

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2nd Team All-Star

I tend to agree with the Toronto Star reporter who is disappointed with both teams for different reasons...

The NHL has some soul searching to do this offseason...I can't think of another sport where the date on the calendar determines the way the game is called...

I think next season you will see a goon or enforcer on the Nucks roster....Gillis has been quoted many times that with the protection of the officials, there is no longer any need for one on the team but these playoffs have proven him wrong....

And I think this has to be the last straw for Luongo in Vancouver....Whether they win or not...

Way too many melt downs which extended series longer than they needed and in the end these long series saw the injury bug decimate the team...

The team doesn't need Luongo as much as he needs them, much like Thomas whose style of play needs a very structured defensive system for him to succeed...the difference is that Thomas has more than held up his end of the bargain while Luongo hasn't...